Literacy Organization - Making a Checklist

While reading of this week’s assigned article in The Reading Teacher by Gay Su Pinnell helped me look at reading teachers as a team rather than individuals working towards a goal separately. These lines in the article really stood out to me, “most new ideas fail, sometimes before they are truly tried. A major reason for this is that most good ideas are implemented within unstable environments.” They may fail due to changing administration, teachers, or students. However, Pinnell does not bring this up to discourage educators from trying a new endeavor, but rather to give teachers eight ideas to take action.

1. Learn about learning: This requires a coherent theory of learning, which refers to understanding how children learn, and is something that teachers should always be developing.
2. Put your theory into action: Once you have an understanding of your students’ reading knowledge and abilty, it is time to teach reading through a variety of resources. This must be a well-rounded approach instead of focusing on a specific area.
3. Establish inquiry as an integral part of your teaching: Assessments should be used to modify lesson plans to student needs and individual levels, not to push for high test scores.
4. Use research-based practices and put extra energy into making them work: Attending professional development workshops and having book studies with colleagues helps teachers implement research-based practices and continually use these practices in the classroom.
5. Put your theory to work in the classroom: While policies may change over time, teachers are a valuable asset. They are able to build on the skills they develop and find ways to expose students to additional materials.
6. Take every opportunity to create community: colleagues are an immense support system throughout a teacher’s career.
7. Enjoy reading and writing with your students: Creating an environment where students are eager to learn is key. Having conversations about literature and exchanging ideas motivate student reading and writing.
8. Imagine a future and work toward it: The present is only time when we can make a difference and shape the future. When teachers work together towards reading goals with every one of their students, they will make a difference together. 

      As I further my education towards becoming a teacher, literacy organization becomes increasingly important. Having this checklist as a tool in my literacy backpack will help keep me organized in the classroom, and help me remember what the big picture is. I plan to refer to these guidelines as I implement new practices.

 Pinnell,Gay Su.  Every child a reader: What one teacher can do. The Reading Teacher. Sept. 2006, Vol. 60, No. 1.